05/19, 3:40pm
Google buys up Israel-based Modu phone patents
The patents held by Israel-based modular phone maker Modu, which laid off most of its workforce in November, has now been purchased by Google. The software giant will pay $4.9 million, most of which will go to pay off Modu's creditors and former employees owed wages. While Google remains tight-lipped about its plans for its new purchase, it's likely support for modular Android phones could come in the future.
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01/13, 12:25am
Company deep in debt with investors
Israeli cellphone maker Modu is reportedly set to close its doors early next month, after failing to establish an IPO late last year, according to a report in the local newspaper Ynet. Founder Dov Moran apparently failed to raise money from other sources of capital, leaving the company deep in debt to investors.
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11/18, 7:05pm
Most employees to be laid off
Israel-based cellphone developer Modu has announced that most of its employees will be laid off after the company failed to establish an IPO in Tel Aviv. Despite the bleak outlook, founder Dov Moran has expressed hope that the company will succeed in raising money from "other sources of capital." The executive did not provide further details, however.
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10/11, 9:25am
There’s an accessory for that
Modu Mobile has unveiled its BREW-based handset, the Modu T. The officially certified Guiness World Record holder as the lightest touch phone in the world also offers an interesting and unique approach to mobile design. In its basic form, it measures a diminutive 1.8-inches by 2.9-inches and centers on a 2.2-inch resistive touchscreen. Where it stands apart from other smart phones is that it takes a modular approach to its varied functions. Rather than converging all of its functions into one form factor, it connects or attaches to a range of different “fy” accessories.
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10/04, 3:35pm
Modu to announce T Phone this Sunday
Israel-based Modu will soon officially unveil its first Android phone, the tiny T Phone, on October 10, Gadgety reported today. The device, spotted earlier this year, will be the smallest phone running on Android, and will ship unlocked for use on nearly any CDMA or GSM carrier. Modu is known to make modular devices, with skins that add functions and features.
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07/28, 10:40am
Palm-sized Modu phone with Android OS spotted
The long-rumored Android-powered phone from Modu may soon become reality, as a tiny version has been spotted in photos and a video. Known for its modular phones, with jackets that embed the core device with added functions, the company's first Android device has Wi-Fi but no 3G data network access. A stylus is included, suggesting the device sports a resistive touchscreen rather than a capacitive one.
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10/07, 4:50pm
Next-gen Modu to have Android jacket
Modular cellphone maker Modu is planning on releasing a shell, or what it calls a jacket, that contains the Android operating system. The shell will most likely work for the second basic handset, the Modu 2, which will allow users to add jackets to give it new functions, just as with the current, original Modu handset. According to Modu CEO Dov Moran, the second-gen device will have a touchscreen and be a 3.5G product.
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02/17, 3:45pm
JBL, modu music jacket
Manufacturer of the world's first modular cellphone, modu, and audio hardware maker JBL on Tuesday announced the release of the modu music jacket for the handset, giving it standalone capabilities as a music player. The phone enclosure contains two JBL Odyssey speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack and USB connector, as well as a digital sound meter. It also brings with it a 2.2-inch display and a 3-megapixel camera with flash.
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02/11, 2:00pm
modu readies 1st products
modu, the Israel-based maker of the first modular cellphone, is getting ready to launch some of its first true products at next week's Mobile World Congress in Spain. On Wednesday, the company followed up last year's teaser with formal details of the core phone and the modular shells for it, called "jackets," that imbue the phone with different abilities. The phone by itself has a seven-button keypad allowing it to perform basic functions and is a standalone music player with 2GB of onboard memory.
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02/07, 7:55am
Modu
Hoping to steal the thunder from larger firms, newcomer modu has announced what it says is the first genuinely modular cellphone. Although the core device itself can work as a handset, the device is designed to be extendable and integrate with other devices. External shells, dubbed modu jackets, can change the control layout and features on the fly; owners can easily add cameras, different control interfaces, and other components without having to replace the phone itself. The feature also allows music labels such as Universal to offer artist-specific jackets that change the entire control scheme as well as the looks.
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